Nigeria Oil Workers Suspend Walkout

Published 8:00 pm, Friday, July 4, 2003

Associated Press Writer

Nigerian oil workers suspended a walkout after union leaders reported progress in talks with the government to end a general strike over rising fuel prices.

The 5-day-old strike has paralyzed businesses and some airlines in Africa's most populous nation and has forced multinational oil companies to operate with minimal staffing. So far they have kept oil exports flowing.

Nigeria is Africa's leading oil producer and the fifth largest supplier of crude to the United States.

Peter Akpatason, president of the main blue-collar oil workers' union, told The Associated Press its members were asked to return to work amid negotiations to end the strike, which began Monday.

"The government has made a new proposal which is closer to labor's position," Akpatason said Friday, without providing details.

He said the 29-union Nigeria Labor Congress will meet on Saturday to consider the proposal.

Another oil union, this one representing administrative workers who have threatened to strike by Sunday, also expressed satisfaction Friday with the progress of negotiations.

Unions called the strike Monday to press President Olusegun Obasanjo's government to rescind a 50 percent fuel price hike ordered on June 20. Officials said the price rise was necessary to end shortages and curb smuggling of cheaper Nigerian fuel to neighboring countries.

With the increase, gasoline is $1.18 a gallon.

Adams Oshiomhole, the Labor Congress leader, met Obasanjo on Friday and said afterward the government had made a significant climb down from its previous position.

Seaports, banks, major businesses and government offices remained closed in major cities on Friday. Only some small shops, restaurants and schools reopened. Some public hospitals were understaffed and patients were reported to be without adequate care.

Troops and riot police continued to patrol the capital of Abuja after Obasanjo ordered protection for strike breakers against often violent picketers.